Improvement in steam-generators



Ntra STATES Fries".

PATENr WILLIAM'O. BAKER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF AND JOHN J. SMITH, OF SAME PLACE. I

IMPROVEMENT IN STEAM-GEN ERATORS.

Speciiication forming part of Letters Patent No. 40,722, dated November 24, 1863.

.To all whom, t may concern:

Beit known that I,"W1LLIAM C. BAKER,'of New York, in the county of New York, in the State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Steam-Generators; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this application.

My invention relates to that kind of boiler or steam-generator which is composed simply of a coil of pipe, or a series oftubes connected together, in which the water from which steam is to be generated is contained, and which is subjected to the action of the tire.

Previous to my invention the great practical objections or difiiculties encountered in the employment of this kind of steam-generators have been these-viz., the water-spaces being of small capacity in proportion to the heating capacity of the tubes, the consequence has been that steam would be formed so rapidly in the lower or hottest portion of the coil or series of tubes as to force the water upward and out of that portion of the coil, thus destroying the effectiveness ofthe boiler 5 and the noise produced by the coniiicting motions of water and steamin the small waterspaces has also been another objection.

To overcome all these and other difticulties which have heretofore prevented a general and successful use of a boiler formed of a coil or series of small water-tubes, and to render this kind of boiler more desirable and useful than any other now in use, are the objects of my present invention, which consists in so constructin ga boiler,in which the water to be generated into steam is contained in a coil or series of connected tubes as that the effeet of forcing the water out of the lower and hottest portion by the too rapid formation of steam shall induce an immediate resupplying from the upper and cooler portion of the boiler, all as hereinafter more fully explained.

To enable those skilled in the art to make and use my improved steam-generators, I will now proceed to describe their construction and operation, referring by letters to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a perspective view of a furnace and boiler embracing my invention. Fig. 2

is a vertical section at the line mx, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a similar section showing a modification of my said invention, and Fig. 4l is averand boiler chamber is made to communicate.

by several holes or ilues, c c, cutthrough the inner wall, A', with the flue-space I), into which latter the products ot' combustion pass, 'and from which they are taken off by an ordinary smoke-pipe, D.

rIhe boiler (shown at Figs. 1, 2, and 3) is composed of a series of tubes, d, connected together at their adjacent ends by returnbends e, and arranged and retained together in the usual manner, in the construction of what are known as coils7 in steam heating apparatus. The boiler may be said to be formed of two coils, E and F, arranged one over the other, and both properly supported in any suitable manner over the hre-chamber. These coils may be made six or more pipes deep from front to back, as desired, and they are so made and arranged as that the top tier or range of pipes ofthe lower coil, F, an'd the bottom range of pipes of the upper coil, E, extend beyond the main body of tubes through the masonry, and communicate with a tube or long chamber, G, running horizontally from front to rear of the boiler. (See Figs. l and 2.) The top range of the upper coil and the bottom range of the lower coil are both also extended through the masonry in a similar manner, and each communicates, respectively, with the steam-pipe H and supply pipe or chamber I. These pipes H and I, it will be observed, are arranged about parallel with chamber Gr, and are of the same length, but of less diameter.

For a boiler composed of the number of tubes shown, about three feet long and. one foot thick (from front to back) of one-inch tubes, I propose to make the chamber Gabout four inches internal diameter, and the tubes H I about two inches each. The chamber Gr and pipe I are connected or communicate by means of two pipes, J J, for purposes to be presently explained.

AAlthough I have shown the pipes G, l-I, and I'as located outside of the masonry, it will be understood that these pipes may be all located within the masonry or otherwise, to suit the wishes of the builder and surrounding circumstances.

In lieu of the two pipes J J, communication may be formed between the chamber G and pipe I by means of one larger tube, situated near the centers of G and I, or a greater number of connecting-pipes than is shownA may be employed, if deemed expedient. I propose to lill in around the bends e with fireclay, as illustrated in the drawings by yellow tint, so as to perfectly protect all the joints from the action of the lire and leave nothing but the plain tubes exposed to the heat. By this arrangement the boiler will be rendered capable of standing. great heat, and even without any water in, for a considerable time without sustaining any material damage.

It is obvious that by incl'osin g the fire-ch amber and boiler in the manner shown and described a most advantageous result is derived, since the boiler is held in a reservoir of heat, and the latter will circulate up through and between the tubes of the boiler, comingl in contact with every portion of the surfaces ot' the pipes; but it will be understood that this method of inclosing the boiler forms no part of mylpresent invention, and that the boiler may be set very differently without departing from the spirit of my invention.

The operation of my improved boiler may be thus explained: The lower portion of the coil (and chamber G) being supplied with water through the lower pipe, I, in the usual manner, up to the requisite height, as shown by the water-line drawn in blue, (see Fig. 2,) and the tire being started, the heat of the tire acts on the tubes a of the coil and causes the generation of steam. Since the waterspaces or the columns of water contained in the tubes a are very small in proportion to the amount of surface of the tubes exposed to the action of the re, it follows that the water will be very rapidly heated and converted into steam, which ascends above the water-line, and passing through the upper portion of the coil, which, though containing no water, is also heated,will be snperheated, and will escape through pipe H at a much higher temperature than if the steam after its generation had passed into an extensive chamber or reservoir in lieu of passing through the upper and superheating portion of the boiler; but it will be remembered that myimproved boiler will produce steam very rapidly and economically without the upper portion of the coil and with a simple chamber substituted, and I wish it to be understood that I consider such a change as not depriving the apparatus of my invention or all of its advantages.

lt will be understood that the lcapacity of this kind of boiler to rapidly and economically make steam increasesin proportion to the increase of surface exposed to the action of the 4iire over the bulk of water contained in the tube; but it will also be understood that without some means of keeping the lower portion ofthe coil constantly supplied with water the effectiveness of .the boiler is practically destroyed as the above-named conditions are approached. Since the steam will form so rapidly in the hottest or lower portion of the coil, and the bulk ot water there will be so sm all that the steam in forcing its way upward through the coil will force the water up and out of the lower portion of the boiler, this great practical difficulty is overcome in my improved boiler by the application of the chamber G near the water-line connectedv to the supply-pipe I.

The operation of this part of the apparatus will'be seen to be this--viz., as the rapid generation of steam in the lower part of the coil forces the water up the lower (inclined) tubes, the water from chamber G (or the upper portion of the boiler) rushes down through tubes J J into pipe I, and thence fills into the lower range of tubes of the boiler. tendency of the rapid generation of steam to exhaust the water from the lower portion of the boiler is constantly counteracted and overcome by a constant supply from the upper portion of the boiler being simultaneously induced. Thus it will be seen that with my improved boiler I am enabled to increase the heating-surface and diminish the water capacity of the tubes to obtain the greatest possible results.

It will be understood that if the lower tubes of the boiler were all connected directly to the upper ones, below the water-line, the same results would be produced as with the chamber G,'the effectiveness of the boiler and its great advantages arising from the circulation produced between the bulk'of water in the upper portion. of the boiler and the lower portion of the tubes, where steam is being most rapidly generated.

In lieu of the form already described, the boiler may be constructed with several chambers, as seen at L L, Fig. 3, or the connections between the lowest tubes and those above may be made at numerous points below the water-line, but all such forms are only modifications of my invention.

At Fig. 4t I have partially shown in vertical section a steam-generator, something like those used to make steam so rapidly in fireengines,77 but havingmy invention appliedv to it, so as to be capable of use without the necessity of constantly pumping water in at the bottom of the coil, as is now done with those coils in use..

M is a coil of pipe turned in a helical form7 Thus the,

and generally having the fire-chamber arranged within it. Near ihe bottom of the coil I connect one or more tubes, g, which extend vertically upward and are connected at their upper ends to short pieces of tube z', which communicate with the coil-pipe M below the water-line.

The operation of supplyingthe lower portion of this coil from the upper portion, it will be seen, is the same as that just explained of the apparatus shown at Figs. l and 2.

It will be seen that my improved boiler will generate steam very rapidly and economically, since the heating-surfaceis very great and the water divided into small columns.

My improved boiler Will cost only about one-fourth as much as an ordinary tubular boiler. will make more steam with the same consumption of fuel, and will last much longer. Since there are no joints exposed to the direct action of the re, the water may get low, or even entirely out, without much injury to the boiler resulting, and the shape or form ofthe boiler is such that any water in it will always seek the lowest and hottest portion.

I do not claim, broadly, the employment of' a coil of pipe as a steam-generator, as such has been used in connection with a pump or other means of inducing a constant fresh supply of water to the boiler or coil. Neither do I claim, broadly, producing a circulation between the upper and lower portions of a coil, as such has been done in hot-water apparatuses, 85e.; but,

Having explained the nature of my invention fully, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

A steam-generator formed of a coil or series of connected pipes,substantially as described, in combination with the means shown, or its equivalent, for inducing the supply of water to the lower tubes from the upper portion of the coil, substantially as described, for the purposes set forth.

In presence of- WM. LEE, JOHN U. RAY.

WM. o. BAKER. 

